It didn’t take long before people started hacking away at the T-Mobile G1, the first phone to ship with Google’s Android platform, and now it looks like Google wants to make it even easier. Starting today, Google is offering a development version of the G1 that is both SIM and hardware unlocked, meaning no more nagging at T-Mobile and waiting for ages to receive an unlock code. The bootloader on this version also doesn’t restrict the device to officially signed firmware builds.
To nab one of these, you’ll need to register as a developer on the Android Market site, pay the one-time $25.00 registration fee, and slap down $399 big ones for the hardware.
Google plans to expand the territories that it’s available in, but initially you may purchase one if you are located in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, India, Canada, France, Taiwan, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Hungary.
Google is advising that these dev phones are just that: phones for developers. They’re not intended for the general consumer, as unguided firmware flashing is a quick way to wind up with a fancy paper weight. Speaking of fancy, check out that battery cover. How much for just that part?
via xda-dev
Good, hopefully somebody will make a video capture application now.
We should be able to video cast from the phone.
I would also like to see a docking bay that lets you use the Android interface on a normal monitor. Where Android would stream frames to a scanner in the bay, and the docking bay then takes USB for KB & mouse and VGA/DVI
That way your phone is your PC as long as it’s docked as a thin client, then you take it and use it as a phone the rest of the time.
It would solve the small keyboard and monitor complaints people have with mobile devices.
Cool idea about the dock. That’d be pretty interesting to see.
Like this?
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/transforming-iphone-into-tv-gaming-device.ars
Yeah, but all in a single docking bay that would have a single mini USB pin in the middle where you would sit the G1.
Then the bay would have USB ports, and VGA/DVI/RGB
The bay would act as a USB hub where if you connected a USB DVD rom drive it would show up in /dev/DVD1 on Android.
Android would be modified to be able to detect USB devices and use them like a normal linux system. If you install the following Android apps “Shell” and “Superuser”, you can see the raw devices.
Makes total sense! Instead of companies paying for laptops they could just pay for a smart phones. Then use Remote Desktop Protocol to a centralized bank of desktops running on servers. It kills two birds with one stone.
Very smart move indeed. This is going to bring in more developers to create some good applications for Android platform.
Cool, this just may be the motivation I need to port our iPhone app to Android (not that I can’t just use the simulator in the SDK, but this is much cooler haha)
If I had the money, I would buy one just to play with it too, iPhone Mon,Wed,Fri and G-1 on Tues, Thurs lol
Good news have been hawking for an unlocked G1 some time now since its availability, our company already has an account at the app market – will have to order for one.
@Chris: The video application concept sounds great, but many of the APIs are not yet provided access with in the Android platform, so my best guess is that unless Google offers access – such an app will only be a dream..
APIs will be a problem for access. http://www.iamlittle.net
Good news and I live video application concept if it works well
so this would work if i wanted to, on at&t?
yeahh
I’ll definitely be doing this. I was just about to pay T-Mobile a hellofalot more for a G1, but if I can pay just $400, and then use my current contract, I’d be awestruck.
I’d be really interested where they’ll ship the handsets from…
The price is good, but if they ship it from the US, I’d have to pay VAT (19%), import taxes and shipping which would result in the package being 100$+ more expensive :-/
Shipping is almost $190 to France…
0wn3d you frogs.
Froghater – seriously, what kind of dick are you?
Good move Google! Thank you!
who did the laser engraving on the phone? or is it screen printing?
That’s what I want to know, I want a cool image on mine.
Well google is into everything. Next time i go to to my refrigerator i find a milk carton woila there it is ” GOOGLE MILK” FULLY OPTIMIZED WITH RELEVEANT keyworded nutrients and inbound qualities. No outbound diseases will be transmitted and will have a milk rank of 10
Google’s page about this: http://code.google.com/android/dev-devices.html
Has anyone been through the process to the point where they can see how much it actually costs to get this in the UK? I don’t want to pay $25 just to find out that actually it’s more than I can afford after all.
tnx for info
**
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Their site doesn’t say much about what all the phone has… Does anyone know the specs of the phone?
Never mind, this is the standard G1 :) (didn’t pay enough attention to the title)
Just went to purchase the phone, they want $150 (US) to ship it to Australia!
Turns it into a $850 (AU) purchase for aussies.
great news, i cant wait to get started with themes for Android OS
Anybody knows what’s the price for Shipping to India? Also, is there a catch? Any limitations in the Dev Phone that’s not there in the original?
Great idea, I hope it will come soon, I wanna replace my cell ;)
Google Hacking 101 – Technology, Google, and Hacking – inurl:”auth_user_file.txt” “index of /admin”
Android is promising but the G1 remains a piece of shit.
Can’t wait to see new Android powered mobile phones.
Seems like they are trying real hard to give IPhone a run for its money.
http://www.anonymity.at.tc
This indeed should be the real business model. why should mobile phone(hardware) be locked to a service provider? This is ridiculous.
It happens only in third world countries like the united states.
I thought google android would change the game by even allowing people to have their phones work with any software of user’s choice(like the pc).
These huge corporates are holding public to ransom, and extracting money.
EVIL google.
Soo have they updated the supported 3G bands or is it still utterly useless to the AT&T customers in the US?
most likely not, so 3g only works on t-mobile in us
thats what it says 3G WCDMA (1700/2100 MHz)
@kpowerinfinity
Shipping to india costs $223.
Now a days the use cellphone is common for every one from Infants to elders.This site rocks
Wouldn’t it be easier/cheaper for overseas people to have it initially shipped to a us address (friend/family etc) and then cheaply shipped overseas?
Can anyone tell me what shipping is to Canada?
Shipping to toronto canada was over $200 US. Why can other people ship phones to canada for $30. Do they deliver these phones with special jets?
@michaelb This is what I did. I’ve ordered the phone, shipped it to my US forwarding address for free. It will cost ~$20 only to forward it to Jordan.
Good move Google! Thank you!
Good news and I live video application concept if it works well..
Does anyone know which company is actually shipping the phone for Google? Where are the phones being shipped from?
Shipper by UPS, shipped from US.
test
what is a US forwarding address pls?
I’d be really interested where they’ll ship the handsets from…
The price is good, but if they ship it from the US, I’d have to pay VAT (19%), import taxes and shipping which would result in the package being 100$+ more expensive :-/ …
Good news and I live video application concept if it works well.
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